Housing

Zoning and new housing

132 public statements from 2026 candidates · 1 related bill

§1The range of views

Why this matters: Zoning decides what can be built and where, which affects how many homes exist, what they cost and what neighborhoods look like.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

Whether state or federal governments should push cities and towns to change local zoning rules so more homes, such as apartments, townhouses and duplexes, can be built; a 2026 federal law will raise or cut some cities' and counties' federal community development grants, starting in fiscal year 2029, based on whether their housing supply grows faster than before.1

  1. Have states require cities to allow more types of housing, such as apartments near transit
  2. Give extra state or federal money to communities that allow more homes
  3. Leave zoning decisions to local governments

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Have states require cities to allow more types of housing, such as apartments near transit (2)

  • Mike Sell FL-4
    His campaign's platform calls for banning exclusionary zoning, state preemption of exclusionary zoning near transit corridors, and tying federal housing incentives to local zoning changes that allow more mid-sized housing, and its bill tracker lists him as supporting the Housing Supply Frameworks Act.2,3,4
  • Greg Abbott TX Governor
    His campaign website says he would let homeowners build additional structures on their property by right, speed up permits and inspections, and bar cities from adding requirements that it says undermine the state's 2025 housing laws.5

Give extra state or federal money to communities that allow more homes (17)

  • Eric Jones CA-4
    His campaign website says he would tie more federal money for states and cities to results, rewarding communities that legalize more housing and shorten permitting, and would cut federal red tape on building.6
  • Scott Wiener CA-11
    His campaign website says he would reward local governments that adopt pro-housing reforms with grants tied to new homes actually built, and cut federal red tape so housing is faster and cheaper to build.7,8
  • Sam Liccardo CA-16
    His campaign website proposes that federal tax credits for converting empty downtown buildings into housing be tied to cities and states streamlining approvals, allowing by-right zoning downtown and reducing fees, and lists bipartisan bills he wrote to speed housing construction among his accomplishments.9,10
  • Ro Khanna CA-17
    His campaign website says states and cities should be given 100 days to change their zoning laws while receiving federal money for roads and schools, and supports removing zoning restrictions that block home building.11
  • Ritesh Tandon CA-17
    His campaign website says he would expand federal incentives for new housing, reward faster local permitting and grow workforce housing near jobs and transit.12,13
  • Samantha Mota CA-37
    Her campaign website calls for federal funding for zoning reform and for eliminating regulations and zoning restrictions that hold back housing production.14
  • Natalie M Fleming ID Senate
    Her American Homeownership Restoration Act proposal would give extra federal housing money to states that eliminate parking minimums and allow duplexes by right in residential zones.15
  • Todd Achilles ID Senate
    His campaign website says he would back legislation that rewards cities for building more housing and ends discriminatory rules against manufactured housing.16
  • Daniel Biss IL-9
    His campaign website says he will reward pro-housing zoning policies, such as legalizing apartments near transit and lowering parking minimums, by making them a condition of receiving federal transportation grants.17
  • Collin Corbett IL Governor
    His campaign website says he opposes statewide mandates that override local zoning, and would instead give communities that increase housing production priority for state housing and infrastructure money and incentives to speed up permits.18
  • Lauren Jewett LA-1
    Her campaign website says she supports incentives to areas that eliminate exclusionary zoning.19
  • Christina Bertrand Hines MI-10
    Her housing topic page says she would reward communities that increase housing supply, expand tax incentives for affordable housing, cut red tape and permitting delays and encourage redevelopment of vacant and underused properties into housing.20
  • Amy Klobuchar MN Governor
    Her campaign website says she would work toward building 100,000 more homes by rewarding cities that agree to build more housing when they apply for state money, setting deadlines for housing permit decisions and streamlining building codes, while keeping local control.21
  • Sam Forstag MT-1
    His campaign website says he would offer incentives for communities to reform zoning and other regulations when outdated zoning restrictions keep housing from being built.22
  • Cinde Warmington NH Governor
    Her campaign website says she would invest in programs that encourage local zoning changes, such as the Affordable Housing Fund and the Housing Champions Program, speed state permitting and appoint a housing czar.23
  • Joseph Lombardo NV Governor
    His campaign website says he would cut red tape, streamline permitting and pair public and private money to build homes, through incentives that reward reform.24
  • David Hatley TN Governor
    His campaign website proposes state infrastructure grants for communities that set aside 5% to 10% of new developments for homes priced at $250,000 or less and speed up approvals.25

Leave zoning decisions to local governments (8)

  • Robb Tucker CA-3
    His campaign website says federal housing policy should respect local control and fire risk rather than mandating housing where roads, water, sewer and fire protection cannot support it, and calls for faster federal reviews of locally approved housing.26
  • Jason Gibbs CA-27
    His campaign website says local communities, not state or federal politicians, know best how to manage housing, schools and public safety, and that he would oppose one-size-fits-all mandates.27
  • Ryan Fazio CT Governor
    His campaign website says his housing plan would lower costs and grow the housing supply while protecting local control of zoning decisions.28
  • David Jolly FL Governor
    His campaign website says local decisions, including zoning, should belong to local communities without the state overriding them.29
  • Rasheed Nicholas Walters MA-8
    His campaign website says he will defend local zoning control against the MBTA Communities Act, support legal challenges to state mandates and introduce the Suburban Zoning Protection Act.30
  • R. Tyler Macallister MA-9
    His campaign website's Ballot Positions page says he is voting no on the 2026 Massachusetts ballot question that would require every city and town to allow a single-family home on a lot of 5,000 square feet or more, saying lot-size decisions belong to the towns.31
  • Lily Tang Williams NH-2
    Her campaign website says she would back zoning reform led by local communities to cut red tape and allow more homes to be built, with those decisions left to towns rather than Washington.32
  • Robbie Mahrou NH-2
    His campaign website says zoning and land-use decisions should return to local communities rather than be set by federal mandates.33

Statements that don't match one option (105)

  • Jeff Wadlin AR Senate
    His campaign website says federal policy should reduce financing and infrastructure barriers to building homes while leaving zoning mainly to state and local governments.34
  • Bobby Wilson AR-3
    His campaign website says rules and delays that raise the cost of building homes should be cut.35
  • Mike Thompson CA-4
    His campaign website lists among his accomplishments voting for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which it says is meant to increase the supply of affordable housing, streamline construction, modernize federal housing programs, expand paths to homeownership and help renters.36
  • Peter Coe Verbica CA-19
    His campaign website lists neighborhood control over housing among his goals, and his 25-point federal plan proposes tying Department of Housing and Urban Development funding to local zoning reform and faster permitting and creating federal grants for local governments that allow denser housing.37,38
  • Sam Gallucci CA-26
    His campaign website calls for incentives for building homes near jobs and transit and for streamlining federal regulations that it says delay construction and raise its cost.39
  • Angélica María Dueñas CA-29
    Her campaign website says the president should use federal housing funds to push state and local governments to end zoning that effectively bans multi-family housing, and that developers should first get approval from neighborhood councils and the community before building projects that could lead to gentrification.40
  • Stephanie M. Vargas CA-33
    Her campaign website says she would encourage building affordable single-family homes through incentives and voluntary partnerships rather than one-size-fits-all mandates on local governments.41
  • Houston Brignano CA-36
    His campaign website says regulations that restrict new development keep people from buying homes, and calls for extensive building.42
  • Steve Manos CA-39
    His campaign website calls for removing regulatory barriers that raise the cost of housing and says the greatest need is affordable, market-rate housing.43
  • Cristian Morales CA-43
    His campaign website's platform calls for increasing the housing supply by reducing permitting and regulatory barriers and reforming environmental and zoning rules that delay construction.44
  • Dave Min CA-47
    His campaign website says he supports an all-of-the-above approach to housing costs that reduces the barriers to building more housing, including the uncertainty and litigation risk of permitting rules, while also funding and subsidizing affordable housing.45
  • Jenny Rae Le Roux CA-47
    Her campaign website says she will push for permitting reform to cut the federal red tape that makes new housing construction costly and slow.46
  • Marni von Wilpert CA-48
    Her campaign website says she would cut red tape and make it easier to build more affordable housing so people can live closer to where they work.47
  • Jim Desmond CA-48
    His campaign website's housing plan calls for firm time limits on permitting so housing gets built faster and at lower cost.48
  • Scott Peters CA-50
    His campaign website says he wants to build more homes and cut the red tape that slows them down, and that he co-led a 2026 law ending a 1974 rule that required manufactured homes to sit on a permanent steel chassis.49,50
  • Jeff Belle CA-52
    His campaign website says he would support policies that increase the housing supply, speed up approvals and make it easier to build starter homes, apartments near transit and affordable units.51
  • Kelley Anne Dennison CO-2
    Her campaign website says she would promote policies that increase housing availability, reduce unnecessary federal regulations and let local communities address housing needs without excessive government interference.52
  • Dwayne L. Romero CO-3
    His campaign website calls for building more housing by repealing outdated red tape that slows construction and investing in housing construction in rural communities.53
  • Tim Bennett CO-7
    His campaign website says he would support policies that remove unnecessary barriers that raise housing costs and that encourage responsible growth.54
  • Joe Krzeczkowski CO-7
    His campaign website says the red tape that drives up construction costs should be cut and smart local development encouraged.55
  • Victor Marx CO Governor
    His campaign website says he would urge cities and towns to adopt faster permitting for home building, with local governments required to decide on complete applications within set deadlines.56
  • Phil Weiser CO Governor
    His campaign website says he would add 40,000 owner-occupied homes people can afford, speed up permitting and work with local governments to lower fees for homes selling under $600,000.57
  • Ned Lamont CT Governor
    His campaign website says he would expand housing supply near transit and job centers while working with local leaders and communities.58
  • Luke Bronin CT-1
    His campaign website says the country does not build enough housing and calls for incentives for development near transit, more flexible federal financing for a mix of market-rate and affordable housing, and new building materials to bring down costs.59,60
  • Chris Shea CT-5
    His campaign website says he would promote practical housing solutions that help more people afford to live and work in Connecticut.61
  • Michael "Dr. Mike" Katz DE Senate
    His campaign website says he would increase the supply of affordable homes through zoning reform partnerships, construction incentives and lower compliance costs, and remove federal barriers to home building.62
  • Sarah McBride DE-AL
    Her campaign website says she wants to increase the supply of housing and backed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which it says became law, to help communities build more homes.63
  • Tyler L. Davis FL-1
    Davis's campaign website supports increasing the housing supply, encouraging workforce and mixed-income housing, and reducing regulations that raise construction costs.64
  • Darren Soto FL-9
    His campaign website says the housing law he voted for encourages more inclusive zoning and streamlines small affordable housing projects, and that he has delivered over $133 million in federal funds for affordable housing.65
  • Kimberly Overman FL-12
    Her campaign platform says she supports expanding the housing supply, reducing unnecessary barriers to housing construction, encouraging mixed-income housing and allowing more housing near reliable transit.66
  • Tony D'Arrigo FL-13
    His campaign website says he would push for fast-track incentives, zoning reforms and public-private partnerships to build more affordable housing.67
  • Sydney Gruters FL-16
    Her campaign website says she will work to rein in overdevelopment and keep homeownership attainable for working families.68
  • Alexander Cooke FL-21
    His campaign website says federal housing dollars should reward housing production but never preempt local land-use decisions, that he would back tax credits and federal loan guarantees for accessory dwelling units and missing-middle housing, and that he opposes federal zoning preemption from either party.69
  • Scott Eckhard Jewett FL Governor
    His campaign website says he would cut the rules and delays that slow home building and supports local decisions that add starter homes and rentals.70
  • Charles Burkett FL Governor
    His campaign website says he would repeal Florida's Live Local Act and favors renovating existing housing over new construction to limit crowding and density.71
  • Dean Ocean Abrams FL Governor
    His campaign website says large developments should require community approval and that the state should not override local decisions on matters such as housing and land use without naming a specific statewide interest.72
  • Mike Collins GA Senate
    His campaign website says housing costs are high because supply is too low, calls for less government red tape driving up construction costs, and says his PERMIT Act, which it says passed the House, would streamline the permitting that delays projects and raises the cost of homebuilding.73
  • Rick Jackson GA Governor
    His action plan says he would use technology to streamline housing permits and inspections, set clear deadlines and hold government accountable for delays that add to housing costs.74
  • Keisha Lance Bottoms GA Governor
    Her campaign website says she would create a Georgia Housing Fast Track initiative to streamline permitting and improve coordination, and set up an affordable housing trust fund for affordable and workforce housing.75
  • Gary Cordery HI Governor
    His campaign website says he would deliver 15,000 fee-simple homes priced between $400,000 and $600,000 for working families, and would streamline permitting and eliminate redundant regulations that hold back housing.76
  • Josh Green HI Governor
    His campaign website says he is lowering housing costs by building more housing, including 46,000 affordable units, and by removing unnecessary regulations on new housing while protecting the environment.77
  • Ashley Hinson IA Senate
    Her campaign's affordability plan calls for cutting red tape to spur more housing construction, including through bipartisan permitting reform.78
  • Joe Mitchell IA-2
    His campaign website says deregulating the homebuilding industry would allow more builders to build more homes at a much lower cost.79
  • Rob Sand IA Governor
    His campaign website says he would work with the legislature to make it easier to build more homes and more types of homes, such as duplexes, quadplexes and accessory dwelling units, and to simplify permitting and inspections.80,81
  • Ellie Gilbreath ID-2
    Her policies page says she will lower housing costs by expanding the ROAD to Housing Act, cutting red tape and funding rural housing.82
  • Paul Sand ID Governor
    His campaign website says he opposes all land use restrictions but supports state permitting and inspections for electrical, plumbing and HVAC work.83
  • Chris Getty IL-4
    His campaign website says he will increase the supply of affordable housing by reducing barriers that delay new housing construction and encouraging local development.84
  • La Shawn K. Ford IL-7
    His campaign website says his housing plan would support zoning reforms that allow modest density increases when paired with affordability requirements and tenant protections.85
  • Juliana Stratton IL Senate
    Her campaign's affordability blueprint says she would cut red tape and remove barriers to building affordable housing, make federal grants conditional on increasing affordable housing and create tax incentives to build starter homes priced below the median.86
  • Don Tracy IL Senate
    His campaign website says he supports policies that remove barriers that make it harder to build affordable homes.87
  • Drew Cox IN-4
    His campaign website says he will fight to pass the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025, which it says will make it easier to bypass restrictive zoning laws and build low-cost modular housing in high-stress areas.88
  • John Deaton MA Senate
    His campaign website says he supports permitting reform with real deadlines for local and state approvals and opposes green-energy mandates on builders.89
  • Jake Auchincloss MA-4
    His campaign website says to cut regulations that drive up prices, such as bans on starter homes.90
  • Dan Koh MA-6
    His campaign website says he will support legislation that makes it easier to secure permits to build housing and will advocate for zoning changes that allow smaller, more affordable housing options.91
  • Maura Healey MA Governor
    Her campaign website says she signed the $5 billion Affordable Homes Act, cut permitting time from years to 30 days and is building 100,000 new homes.92,93
  • Michael Roger Minogue MA Governor
    His campaign website says he would end enforcement of the MBTA Communities Act and give legal support to cities and towns that do not accept its terms, and would give communities a larger share of state tax revenue if they drop building stretch codes and approve single-family home permits within 45 days.94
  • Adrian Boafo MD-5
    His campaign website says he would reduce federal red tape and offer incentives to build mixed-income, workforce and missing middle housing to add supply and lower costs.95
  • Chris Chaffee MD-5
    His campaign website says home and rent costs have risen because of a shortage of builders' funding and land, and that the permit process for residential and commercial construction should be minimized.96
  • Rick Bennett ME Governor
    His campaign website says he would audit where housing projects get stuck in state and local permitting, help towns apply zoning and building codes consistently, and use a housing bond to restart Maine's factory-built housing industry.97
  • Hannah M. Pingree ME Governor
    Her campaign website says she would invest $100 million a year in housing, set a 90-day limit for most state housing permits and support local zoning changes that allow more density, including small multi-unit buildings and accessory dwelling units built by right.98
  • Callie Barr MI-1
    Her campaign website says she supports zoning reform so that more homes get built, along with federal funding for affordable homebuilding by local builders.99,100
  • Charlotte Magoon MI-2
    Her campaign website says she supports building more affordable housing and removing regulations that hold back new housing supply.101
  • Mike Rogers MI Senate
    His campaign website says he would roll back housing regulations, work with states to cut red tape and create residential housing zones where all new construction is tax-free.102
  • Jocelyn Benson MI Governor
    Her housing plan says she would streamline approvals so builders wait weeks instead of months, and build a statewide housing data system while working voluntarily with local governments.103
  • Erik Osberg MN-7
    It says he wants to clear away needless obstacles to responsible housing construction, and that federal housing policy should support local judgment rather than override it.104
  • Trina Swanson MN-8
    The voter concerns page says she will work to lower barriers to building new homes and supports the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act and tax credits for builders of homes priced below the local median.105
  • Seth Bodnar MT Senate
    His campaign website says he supports cutting red tape that slows new housing and zoning and code reforms that expand supply.106
  • Michael D Eisenhauer MT-2
    His Voter Contract page says he will support zoning changes that permit duplexes, triplexes and other kinds of housing, and his Issues page lists zoning changes that remove barriers to duplexes, triplexes or multi-family housing and government incentives for towns and cities to make larger tracts of land available for development.107,108
  • Roy Cooper NC Senate
    His campaign website says he would offer incentives for apartment and modular construction, streamline rules, speed up reviews and help convert commercial buildings to housing.109
  • Matthew Laszacs NC-2
    His campaign website's home page calls for reducing zoning laws, along with occupational licensing rules and other regulations it says harm the economy, and his economy page proposes strengthening property owners' ability to offer new kinds of housing, including small dwellings and affordable housing.110,111
  • Guy Meilleur NC-4
    His campaign website calls for allowing duplexes and triplexes by right in any low-density area that already allows single-family homes, and for making accessory dwelling units easier to build by dropping off-street parking, owner-occupancy and minimum lot size requirements.112
  • Cyril Jefferson NC-6
    His campaign website says he wants to increase the supply of homes and reduce red tape that makes building them harder and more costly, and to build more affordable housing with smart zoning and incentives, while preserving neighborhood character.113,114
  • Colby Watson NC-8
    His campaign website's Housing page says he would remove needless red tape that holds back home building and would work with the market to add more starter homes.115
  • Jack Codiga NC-12
    His platform page says zoning should be restricted to situations involving actual infrastructure needs or pollution.116
  • Helene Neville ND-AL
    Her campaign website says housing policy should focus on expanding housing supply and supporting responsible, affordable development.117
  • Mike Flood NE-1
    His campaign website says he worked with members of both parties to pass a bipartisan bill that cuts red tape and lowers the cost of building new homes.118,119
  • Chris Backemeyer NE-1
    His campaign website says he would cut red tape that delays housing projects.120
  • Brett Lindstrom NE Governor
    His campaign's policy framework says communities should shape their own housing solutions, with the state as a partner rather than a writer of mandates.121
  • Kelly Ayotte NH Governor
    Her campaign website says she signed new laws to make it faster and easier to build housing.122,123
  • Rebecca Bennett NJ-7
    Her affordability priorities page lists leading efforts to reduce red tape, build more housing, and lower housing costs for people buying or renting.124
  • Rob Menendez NJ-8
    Its affordability page lists supporting proposals to create more than 1 million affordable homes, including funding for a new Affordable Housing Access Program and affordable homes near mass transit, among his goals.125
  • Aristotle Eliopoulos NJ-8
    It lists encouraging construction of workforce and affordable housing and expanding housing opportunities near transit hubs.126
  • Da'Shone Hughey NJ-8
    The Hughey Plan on his campaign website lists building 25,000 affordable and workforce housing units, expanding homeownership opportunities and converting vacant commercial buildings into housing, and describes a proposed act that would widen incentives for building affordable housing close to transit.127
  • Nelida Pou NJ-9
    Her campaign biography page says she is dedicated to getting more affordable housing built.128
  • LaMonica R. McIver NJ-10
    Her campaign page on investing in families says she wants more affordable housing choices, stronger protections for tenants and action against housing discrimination.129
  • Analilia Mejia NJ-11
    Her campaign issues page says she would champion the Homes for All Act, which it describes as building 8.5 million public housing units within a decade.130
  • Joe Hathaway NJ-11
    His campaign home page lists among his accomplishments as mayor of Randolph negotiating the township's fourth-round affordable housing settlement, which it says cut the state-required obligation by 92 percent.131
  • Alan B. Bond NJ-11
    His campaign story on homeownership says federal policy should encourage rather than require responsible local efforts to add housing in places whose infrastructure and communities can handle it, including new construction, redevelopment of underused properties and reuse of suitable commercial properties. Another story, on affordability, lists building more housing among its ways to lower living costs.132,133
  • Ben R Lujan NM Senate
    His campaign website says he helped pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which it describes as providing federal incentives for new housing, cheaper financing for manufactured and modular homes, and fewer regulatory hurdles.134
  • Deb Haaland NM Governor
    Her campaign website says she would build more housing by reducing barriers and speeding up permits, including a statewide deadline after which a housing project that has not been acted on would be approved automatically.135,136
  • Steven "Chap" St John NV-1
    His campaign website says zoning reform could let more kinds of housing be built, such as smaller homes, duplexes, townhomes and affordable rentals, adding supply that can ease prices.137
  • Aaron D. Ford NV Governor
    His campaign website says he would work with state and local agencies to cut red tape and speed permits for affordable housing, set statewide goals while giving local governments flexibility, and help develop vacant land.138
  • Kathy C. Hochul NY Governor
    Her campaign website says she supported New York City's City for All plan to build and preserve affordable housing, and lists allowing more housing to be built among her accomplishments.139,140
  • Tina Kotek OR Governor
    Her campaign website says she would cut red tape to speed new construction and build more starter homes.141,142
  • Christine Drazan OR Governor
    Her campaign website proposes a 120-day maximum decision period for qualifying housing projects, limits on repeated appeals, objective approval of code-compliant housing, and standard rules for accessory dwellings, modular, manufactured and tiny homes.143
  • Jasjit S Gotra RI Governor
    His campaign website calls for cutting zoning barriers, automatically approving complete residential permit applications that are not decided within 90 days, and leasing state land to private developers, with a goal of 30,000 new homes by 2034.144,145
  • Dan Ahlers SD Governor
    His campaign website says he would support local solutions to increase housing and work with state and local leaders to reduce barriers to responsible housing development.146
  • Dave Seeman TN Governor
    His campaign website calls for legalizing denser housing and fast-tracking new buildings.147
  • James Talarico TX Senate
    His campaign website says he would repeal outdated rules that slow home construction and expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.148
  • Mark R. Warner VA Senate
    His campaign website says his housing plan would expand supply and lower costs by encouraging the rehabilitation of existing buildings, speeding up permits and making it easier for first-time buyers to get a mortgage.149
  • June Goodband VT Governor
    Her campaign website says the state should make it easier to build modest housing and harder to build luxury housing.150
  • Amanda Janoo VT Governor
    Her campaign website says she would simplify permits for permanently affordable housing, reuse of old buildings, accessory dwelling units and small infill projects, while keeping environmental protections and giving towns more flexibility.151
  • Dean Roy VT Governor
    His campaign website says he supports repealing Act 250, a 1970s state law that it says restricts housing permits, and aims to build homes that cost less than $150,000.152
  • Tom Tiffany WI Governor
    His campaign website says he would cut regulations and permitting delays that raise the cost of building homes.153
  • David Crowley WI Governor
    His campaign website says he would build and preserve affordable housing across the state and cut barriers that slow new housing.154

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.